British infertility clinic opens centre in Kerala

Kochi, April 14 (IANS) Britain-based Bourn Hall, the world’s first in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinic established by pioneers Professor Robert Edwards and Doctor Patrick Steptoe in 1980, Thursday launched its first Indian centre in Kochi.

The new assisted conception clinic here will provide a range of fertility treatment services to the same high ethical and quality standards set by Bourn Hall Clinic in Britain, said Mike Macnamee, chief executive, Bourn Hall Clinic.

He said bringing the Bourn Hall treatment services here, is a step forward towards the dream of our founders, of making fertility treatment widely available to all who need it.

“Infertility is a universal problem. We will open more clinics in India in the next few years. Our second clinic will be in Delhi,” said Macnamee.

Also present at the launch of the Kochi clinic was Peter Brinsden, group medical director, Bourn Hall International and president of the British Fertility Society.

It was Edwards’ pioneering work with Steptoe that led to the birth of the world’s first “test-tube” baby Louise Brown July 25, 1978.

In 2010, Edwards was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for the development of the IVF technique.